Danny Knows
by afullmargin
Summary: An end game  pre-epilogue  ficlet. Danny knows Nicholas will watch over him, Nicholas loves him.


**Pairing(s):** Nicholas/Danny

**Genre:** Melodrama

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fictional parody in no way intended to infringe upon the rights of any individual or corporate entity. Any and all characters or celebrity personae belong to their rightful owners. Absolutely no money has or will be gained from this work.

**Feedback:** Is always very welcome. :)

**Written:** 11/1/2007

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Danny knows that Nicholas rode with him to the hospital - that he paced the immaculate tiled halls as he was moved from one unit to the next until he was stable. He knows that Nicholas rode with him again when they transferred him farther out to the big posh private hospital and waited with that same quiet cold gaze watching the doctors and nurses. Nobody ever told him any of this, but it was Nicholas - just seemed like what he would do.

"No Miss, I prefer to stay." Nicholas' voice sounds a world away in the medicated fog, so soft under the hiss and beep of machinery. "Yes Miss, I'm his Commanding Officer."

"Angel..." Danny tries to speak, but his lips won't move and his tongue seems to have turned to mush.

"No, I'm not very hungry. Thank you."

Danny can feel his mind growing heavy and telling him to sleep. He feels a strong hand wrap over top of his in the bed and knows that Nicholas will still be there when the nightmare is over.

He knows a good deal time must have passed, but it seems like he must have only had his eyes closed a minute when he opens them half lidded to the same gray ceiling tiles as before, a set of wires and tubes hanging from a metal bar above the bed that he knows must be for him.

"He'll be alright, right?" It was the Andes, for sure. Cartwright first then Wainwright adding, "Right, it's just a coma."

"It's not a coma." Nicholas raises his voice slightly and then seems to force himself back down, "It's just the morphine. He's got a bit of a sensitivity. He's fine." Nicholas doesn't sound so sure though; even high as a kite Danny knew when things weren't going so good. "Everything will be just fine."

"Right." Doris' voice sounds somehow more hollow in Danny's head and he realizes he's getting awfully sleepy again. "He's got an Angel looking after him an' all."

Everyone seems to pause as though waiting for something else, but after a long moment Wainwright speaks again; "Come on now, that ain't right." He lets out a soft laugh, "Danny being laid up and all."

Another drawn out moment and Nicholas speaks again; "What do you suppose you mean by that?" His voice is soft and yet forceful but Danny finds himself slipping back asleep again before he can hear if there even is an answer.

It is a comforting thought, an Angel watching over him as he sleeps. He dreams of Nicholas with stained glass wings just like the church - a rifle clasped between his hands. He is safe.

He is aware again, this time it is almost silent in the room. When he strains real close he can hear the hiss of the oxygen tubes and steady beep of someone's machinery - maybe even his own. But under that, there is something... the very faint scratching like a little mouse in a box.

The scratching pauses, then continues again and Danny tries to identify it again. "What're you writing, a love letter?" It's Doris' voice - she sounds closer than before.

"No," Nicholas responds and there's a soft flutter of pages and Danny pictures him snapping the notebook closed and putting it in his shirt pocket. "You should go home."

"I know you haven't been back to the hotel since..." Doris starts, but Nicholas cuts her off.

"It's my duty to be here."

"Right, duty - I suppose that's what they call it out in London now." Doris' voice drops. "What more can you do here? Until he wakes up you're here alone."

"I'm here!" Danny tries to speak again, but can't even muster a groan. Briefly he wonders if he might be dead and in Heaven like his Mum, but it all still feels too horrible inside to be anything but real.

"He's here," Nicholas speaks and Danny wonders if he's smiling... probably isn't. "Just sleeping is all."

"It's been three days, he hasn't moved and neither have you." Danny heard Doris' heels on the tile floor and realized she was leaving.

Danny listens as carefully as he possibly can and knows that Nicholas is still with him - breathing slow and heavy off to one side. He lets himself fall asleep to the gentle rhythm.

"Where is the doctor?" Nicholas sounds upset as Danny finds himself coming to again. "I'm worried, this isn't normal..."

"Sir, I there's nothing we can do about it. He just needs to rest right now."

"He is resting, Miss," Nicholas' voice hisses. "I'm sorry, but we've been here for days and there is no reason he should not be at least aware."

"Nicholas?" Danny focuses hard on getting the word out, his voice sounding much more frail than he ever remembered before.

"See, rest," The nurse replies, and Danny managing to keep his eyes partially open in time to watch her turn away.

Nicholas doesn't even watch her go; he steps quickly to the edge of the hospital bed, a gentle smile on his lips. "Danny? Are you coming around then?"

Danny sighs and lets his eyes close against the bright morning light. "Drink?"

"Yeah, sure... of course..." Nicholas pulls away and almost drops the plastic bucket as he pours. "It's just some ice, though."

Danny is startled at first when Nicholas takes a small scoop of ice chips and holds it up to his lips, the other hand tilting his chin upwards to ease them open. "Thanks," He whispers when the scoop is pulled away, Nicholas' thumb brushing over cheek very easily.

"Of course," Nicholas replies quickly and Danny forces his eyes open again, a bit taken off guard by the man's gentle smile. "Anything else?"

Danny gently rocks his head against the tiny pillow underneath it, finding himself smiling as Nicholas simply looks down at him with the biggest shit eating grin. "Don't piss yourself." He finds himself smiling when Nicholas blushes up around his collar.

"Sorry, Danny," He shakes his head slightly, letting one hand rest on the metal bed rail between them. "It's just nice to know you're alright." He lowers his eyes so that Danny can't see them and adds quietly; "We were worried."

"We?" Danny licks his lips heavily, still feeling a bit dry. "Got a mouse in yer pocket?" He lifts his hand up on the metal bar, thumb to thumb with Nicholas'.

Nicholas clears his throat and lifts his hand away a moment, then gently pats the top of Danny's. "They did come, you know? All of them... even the Andrews."

Danny nods slowly, "I heard a little bit I think. I don't really get a lot of it."

Nicholas licks his lips, "You were barely awake, I'm sure. It's alright. I know it was hard to tell what was real." He lets his hand stay still on top of Danny's, clasping loosely around it.

"You're real, ain't you?" Danny tilts his chin slightly, trying to get a better look at Nicholas' face, but finds his neck and back much too stiff.

"Hope so." Nicholas lets out a clipped laugh that even Danny can tell is strained. When he looks back up, Danny understands a little bit better why Nicholas was grinning - he looks about ready to crack.

"You got something in your eye." Danny smiles slightly in an effort to let Nicholas know it's just a gag to get a rise out of him.

It doesn't seem to work, Nicholas pulls away turns his back. "You could have died, Danny."

Danny thinks about it for a moment, it hadn't occurred to him at the time - seemed to be a running bit in his life at least. "You'd a done it for me." He swallows hard when Nicholas doesn't respond right off and adds; "You came back for me."

Nicholas' voice sounds forced, almost like he's about to sick up. "It was my duty. My duty to Sandford."

Danny lulls over the thought a moment, his mind still even more hazy than normal. "Why can't you say that to my face, then?"

Nicholas steps forward and turns slowly, sinking into a low chair with his head in his hands. Danny can't tell if his vision is bad or if Nicholas is shaking until he lets out a choked sigh. "I don't want to talk about this, Danny. Not here, not now."

"When?" Danny sighs and lets his eyes close again as he realizes just how close to crying Nicholas is - he doesn't know if he can stand to see it.

Nicholas is quiet a long time, the throb and beep of machines once more taking over. When Danny opens his eyes again he realizes that he is once more being watched by those sad, cold eyes, wetness barely clinging down on his chin. "It doesn't matter, Danny. Maybe never."

It makes sense somehow, all of it. Danny's mind pieces together the puzzle like a bad Scooby Doo Mystery and even in his mental state all roads lead to the same end. "You're in love with me," He murmurs softly.

"It wouldn't matter if I was, Danny," Nicholas sighs again, pushing up out of his chair and stepping up to the side of the bed. "We have an obligation to uphold the standards of conduct and as I'm likely to make Inspector it's even more important that we stay true to our moral authority."

Danny shook his head, dismissing his response as more of the old Nicholas' code and regulations. "It's bloody Sandford!"

"Calm yourself, Danny. You're in no condition to be dealing with anything but getting on your feet again." Nicholas reaches up and for a moment Danny thinks that he might gently caress his face like in the films... instead he only adjusts the annoying tubes in his nose.

Danny licks his lips and tries to put together a coherent response. Nicholas had a valid point... he always did... but it didn't mean he didn't want to know. In their short time, Nicholas had come to mean quite a bit to him, in lots of ways - he was the only person left in Sandford that he could trust and respect, he was his partner for Pete's sake. "Come on, it's okay if you are. Don't change nothing."

Nicholas looks strained again, "It changes everything."

"Not like things aren't all fouled up anyway." It was true; half the village was dead or in prison for killing. It was literally in shambles, the police station reduced to rubble - there wasn't even a grocer with Mr. Skinner locked away and all. Even his own Dad was a monster. "You're the only thing I got left."

Nicholas is quiet again, that thinking look on his face. Danny slowly realizes he already knows the answer - of course Nicholas loves him, it made all the sense in the world. "What would you say to that question, Danny?" His face is totally slack, hiding it all behind that stupid wall that only held him back.

Danny doesn't hesitate - he doesn't need to. He knew the moment Nicholas came back to face Sandford for what it was, they had something special. "Of course I do." Nicholas was the only person to treat him like an adult and not some stunted kid playing coppers. Besides, he was pretty fit for bloke.

He sighs again, dropping his head for a short moment but raising it back up with a soft smile; "Fucking hell." He grins wider when Danny insistently grasps his hand. "Let's just sit on that for now, alright? When you're better and things are settled a bit..." He gives Danny's weak hand a gentle squeeze and lets out another slightly shaky sigh. "Well, we'll see then."

It's the best he's gonna get and Danny knows it, but it's alright. More than he expected really. It's comforting to know that quite possibly for the first time in years he's not alone. "Partners." He grins, tired but happy no less.

Nicholas nods slowly, "Partners."

(END)


End file.
